Meet the team

Dr Sue Baxter

Director of Innovation and Business Partnerships

Dr Sue Baxter is responsible for managing and developing research-based innovation and commercialisation services across the University. This includes leading the Innovation and Business Partnerships Team, responsibility for the University’s annual Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) budgets and institutional accountabilities under the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF). 

Telephone: +44 (0)1273 872887
Email: sue.baxter@la-cantera.com
Follow Dr Sue Baxter on LinkedIn.

Kate Thorpe

Head of Business Partnerships

Kate leads the Business Partnerships team connecting partners with academics across the University to deliver impactful and innovative solutions to real world challenges. Contact Kate to discuss partnering opportunities including collaboration for contract research, consultancy services, Innovate UK funding including Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and IP licencing

Telephone: +44 (0)1273 873664
Email: k.thorpe@la-cantera.com
Follow Kate Thorpe on LinkedIn.

Anne-Fay Townsend

Business Partnerships Manager (Social Science and Humanities)

Anne-Fay supports impactful and innovative collaborations with organisations working with academics across the School of Media Arts & Humanities, School of Education and Social Work, School of Law Politics and Sociology and School of Global Studies. Anne-Fay can connect you with a range of engagement opportunities including contract research, consultancy services, Innovate UK funding including Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and IP licencing. 

Email: A.Townsend@la-cantera.com.

Riaz Hamid

Knowledge Exchange Performance Manager

Riaz Hamid is responsible for managing the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) submissions on behalf of the university as well as being tasked with driving Knowledge Exchange (KE) adoption within the institution.

Email: R.Hamid@la-cantera.com.

Keith O'Brien

Intellectual Property Business Partner 

Keith O’Brien manages and develops the University's innovation and intellectual property portfolio and supports the creation of opportunities leading to use and exploitation of research by external organisations, such as by licensing and spin-out company formation. Contact Keith if you have an intellectual property, technology transfer or licensing enquiry.

Telephone: +44 (0)1273 873579
Email: K.E.O-Brien@la-cantera.com
Follow Keith O'Brien on LinkedIn.

Anna Saunders

Intellectual Property Coordinator 

Anna Saunders administers patent applications to protect the University’s intellectual property and non-disclosure agreements (NDA) to open up opportunities for partnerships in research and commercialisation. Contact Anna if you have an intellectual property or NDA enquiry.

Telephone: +44 (0)1273 873862
Email: A.C.Saunders@la-cantera.com.

Nile Amos

Business Partnerships Manager (Engineering & Informatics and Mathematical & Physical Sciences) 

Nile supports impactful and innovative collaborations with organisations working with academics across the School of Engineering and Informatics and School of Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Nile can connect you with a range of engagement opportunities including contract research, consultancy services, Innovate UK funding including Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and IP licencing.

Email: N.J.Amos@la-cantera.com.

Nick Bull

Business Partnerships Manager (BSMS & Life Sciences) 

Nick supports impactful and innovative collaborations with business working with academics across the School of Life Sciences and the Brighton and Sussex Medical School. Nick can connect you with a range of engagement opportunities including contract research, consultancy services, Innovate UK funding including Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and IP licencing.

Email: N.Bull@la-cantera.com.

Jo McKinney-Green

Consultancy Services Manager

Jo manages the University's consultancy services portfolio and provides support to business wishing to engage with academic consultants across all disciplines. 

Email: J.Mckinney-Green@la-cantera.com.

Tom Wolfenden

Senior Knowledge Exchange Initiatives Manager 

Tom provides programme and project support to the team managing the University’s innovation portfolio and generates new commercial leads, supports academics to engage with businesses and the public sector. Tom also provides support to the RISE programme.

Telephone: +44 (0)1273 873252
Email: T.Wolfenden@la-cantera.com.

Tina Perret

Senior Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Officer

Tina Perrett supports and develops Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) across the university. A KTP is a partnership between the university, a business, and a graduate associate to deliver innovation in products or services. The graduate associate is part funded by Innovate UK and is based in the business and supported by university experts. Contact Tina to discuss your ideas for a KTP.

Email: T.Perrett@la-cantera.com.